Sitting is the New Smoking

“For people who sit most of the day, their risk of heart attack is about the same as smoking.”                    —Dr. Martha Grogan, cardiologist

Uninterrupted Sitting Creates Disease.

Sitting for long stretches can have irreversible health consequences that are sometimes more harmful than smoking. You are more likely to die earlier than from any other cause. Sitting has become the new smoking.

Sitting constantly is slowly killing you regardless of whether you exercise vigorously every day. The effects of too much sitting are hard to offset with exercise. Even if you exercise daily, continuous sitting negates that exercise and puts your health at risk. Working out seven hours a week will not counterbalance the effects of sitting seven hours straight. It doesn’t matter how active you are. It’s about how much you sit.

A sedentary lifestyle puts you more at risk for heart attacks, strokes, dementia, depression, cancer, anxiety, diabetes, etc. Whether sitting behind a desk or in front of a TV, long bouts of inactivity jeopardize your health.

Add More Movement Throughout Your Day.

It’s long periods of sitting that get you into trouble. You should not sit continuously for more than one hour. Stand up and move around more often. Simply standing increases blood flow and energy, tones muscles and improves your posture. Build more activity into your day.

Here are some ways to incorporate more activity into your daily life:

-Stand up and stretch every half hour or so.

-Take the stairs.

-Stand at your desk for part of the day.

-Get up to refill your water glass every hour.

-Stand up while you’re on the phone, reading emails or reports.

-Get off the bus one stop early and walk the rest of the way.

-Use your break or lunch time to walk around.

-Stand up and do exercises while watching TV or during commercials.

-Exercise your legs when you brush your teeth.

-Set a Smartwatch or timer to stand up every 30 minutes.

Movement Improves Your Health and Longevity.

When you think of all the benefits of sitting less, it makes sense to get up and move around every half hour. If you start small and build consistency, eventually it will become second nature to stand and move more often. It’s a healthy habit that will improve your quality of life and lengthen life expectancy.